Abandoned
by SleeplessDays
Summary: Scarlett's visit to the mills takes a much different turn than she was expecting. It turns out that Rhett is not a very kind or responsible chauffer. A one-shot that takes place after the Butlers take up separate rooms, though before Ashley's birthday.


**Seriously my day. It's been a very bad day.**

Scarlett sat all alone, waiting for Rhett to pick her up in his buggy. Hers had broken the day before and he had insisted that he would drive her to the mills and pick her up later.

The humid air had skyrocketed in temperature that day, rising a whole twenty degrees above where it had been just the day before. The one hundred and five degree weather was doing her no favors. Scarlett could practically feel herself burning. She had expected Rhett to pick her up at four thirty, as promised, and had finished up her business with that deadline in mind.

Now, however, she sat baking in the summer sun, struggling to breathe with the moist air suffocating her. There was little shade next to the road, the sun directing its rays into her dulled green eyes.

The heat was taking a serious toll on her body. She was quite close to fainting with all of the layers draped across her frame and the corset preventing her frown drawing in a deep breath of air, not that it would have helped much.

To return to the stifling office and Ashley's drowsy presence, however, would be to accept defeat and to acknowledge that she had been forgotten by her own husband.

It was simply not an option.

So she sat outside, the heat combined with the corset restricting her caused an unpleasant prickling sensation across her back.

She had no idea how long she sat in the boiling sun.

It had definitely been hours. The sun had already set and the last rays of light were disappearing.

Ashley had already returned home to sweet Melanie, who certainly had a cool pitcher of lemonade prepared by his return.

Meanwhile Scarlett was stuck outside, forgotten by all who supposedly loved her. She had hidden when Ashley emerged from the office, ashamed at how she was left stranded.

Now, however, she regretted it deeply. That had been hours ago. Her pride would not let her admit how unimportant she was to her family at the time, but it would have saved her a lot of grief and sweat.

As darkness settled over the world, Scarlett began to debate her options. Staying at the mills all through the night would be… terrifying. But could she trek through shantytown?

A cold shiver ran down her spine. Certainly not.

So what could she do besides stand outside? Ashley had locked the door to the office behind him and Scarlett had always arrived after and left before him, making another key rather redundant and useless.

A breeze blew by her, but it did nothing to cool her. It was as warm and humid as the rest of the air was. And while the temperature had dropped since the afternoon, it was still well above ninety.

The feeling of abandonment had been tearing at Scarlett's heart all day, and the weak gust of wind finally knocked down her steely determination to ignore the pain.

How could they all just leave her here? They all knew she liked to spend her days at the mill, but she was always home by supper time. Based on how long she had been in the dark, that had certainly passed. And she was never out at the mill this late. It stung deeply that no one noticed her prolonged absence. Not one person had ridden out to the mill to check that she was alright. They wouldn't have known the difference if she had been murdered and thrown in an alleyway to rot. Did she matter so little to everyone around her that they could forget about her on a whim? While she knew not everyone thought of her with great fondness, she thought that she had at least made a difference in her family and staff's lives. For crying out loud, the staff catered to her needs. How could they not notice the figure missing from her room late at night? And her own children? Did they see her as nothing more than an insignificant person who resided with them? Did none of them miss her?

The fear and hurt swirled around her, dragging out a pained cry and the torrent of tears she had been forcing back.

No one cared about her. She was as insignificant as a rat that lived in the sewer. Another cry bubbled up from her throat despite her efforts. She attempted to hold them back with her gloved hand, but it did nothing to stop the pained noises she was letting out into the night.

Infinite time passed. Who knew how late it was now? She had reined in her tears long ago, and now stood silent and alone in the inky darkness.

She stood, her back straight, waiting. Waiting for anyone to come and save her.

Eventually, she heard something. She was immediately alert, on the watch for anyone trying to sneak up on her. Although, her traitorous heart whispered, what did it matter? They wouldn't miss her.

Scarlett forcefully pushed the murmur aside. Squinting her eyes, she could barely make out a figure moving down the road. As it drew nearer, she recognized the shape. It was Rhett's buggy at last.

He pulled up in front of the mill and hopped out. Carelessly, he offered her a hand to get into the carriage.

"Sorry, my pet. I'm afraid the time rather got away from us. The children and I were enjoying a day together and before we knew it, it was dark out. I hope you weren't waiting long."

Scarlett moved wordlessly past him. For the first time since childhood, she ignored the open hand that offered assistance. A lady never got into a vehicle unaided. But Scarlett couldn't bring herself to care. Nor could she force herself to touch the cold and uncaring man beside the buggy.

"I see you are upset with me, pet. But surely you cannot hold it against me. The children are just so charming and, well, I'm afraid I forgot I was to act as your chauffeur today."

Of course he had. Didn't everyone leave her in the end? It was only a matter of time before he forgot her too.

Scarlett had longed for someone to pick her up and apologize profusely, soothing her bleeding heart and assuring her that they did care about her. But alas, it was not to be.

Her silence was unnerving, and Rhett felt compelled to fill the space with idle chatter.

"Well, Mrs. Butler, how long were you waiting? Surely not that long, I know you enjoy spending your time with the honorable Ashley Wilkes. I'm certain he was able to entertain you for hours. And it was such a hot day, it would have been miserable to sit outside in that get up."

Smothering silence fell again.

"You know, Bonnie and Ella prepared the whole house a feast earlier. With help from the servants, of course. Their lemonade in particular was delicious. Of course, it was also ice cold, which certainly made it more appealing. That's also why everyone was so desperate for it. We had enough for all the servants too, though it's long gone now."

"What time is it?"

"Why, eleven o'clock, my pet."

A pause.

"I have been waiting for you for seven hours. I am tired, stop your useless babbling." The tears began to sting her eyes again, but she refused to show any form of weakness.

She sat looking forward with her back straight and a blank face the entire ride home.

No one spoke another word.


End file.
